Filling Aluminum Cans Aseptically

Abstract

Methods of manufacturing shelf stable pods containing food or drink to be rapidly cooled, include inserting a mixing paddle into an aluminum can through an open end of a body of the can and sterilizing the can and mixing paddle at temperatures below a stress relief temperature of the can in a first aseptic chamber. The method also includes filling the can with a sterilized food or drink in the aseptic chamber, sealing a sterilized base of the can to the open end of the body of the can with a food-safe adhesive to create a hermetic seal, removing the can from the first aseptic chamber while maintaining the hermetic seal outside the first aseptic chamber, and mechanically seaming the base to the can.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method of aseptically filling a can with ingredients for producing a food or drink, the method comprising:
 sterilizing a sealed can, the sealed can comprising:
 an aluminum body having a sidewall extending from a domed end of the aluminum body to an open end of the aluminum body; 
 a spout disposed on the domed end of the aluminum body; and 
 a base seamed to the aluminum body and covering the open end of the aluminum body; and 
   after sterilizing the sealed can:
 aseptically filling the can with the ingredients for producing the food or drink through the spout; and 
 aseptically sealing the ingredients within the can. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the sealed can is sterilized with a plug or cover disposed on the spout to aseptically seal the can. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising assembling the sealed can by:
 inserting a paddle through the open end of the aluminum body of the can;   after inserting the paddle through the open end, seaming the base to the aluminum body to close the open end of the aluminum body; and   inserting the plug or cover onto the spout to close the spout.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising, after sterilizing the sealed can and before aseptically filling the can:
 inserting the sealed can into an aseptic environment being maintained under aseptic conditions; and   removing the plug or cover while the can is in the aseptic environment.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein sterilizing the sealed can comprises irradiating the sealed can with radiation. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the radiation is gamma radiation. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising, before sterilizing the sealed can:
 palletizing a plurality of the sealed cans; and   conveying the plurality of the sealed cans into an irradiation chamber,   wherein sterilizing the sealed can comprises sterilizing the plurality of the sealed cans in the irradiation chamber.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising, after sterilizing the sealed can and before aseptically filling the can:
 grasping the spout to move at least a portion of the sealed can into an aseptic environment being maintained under aseptic conditions,   wherein aseptically filling the can and aseptically sealing the ingredients within the can are performed while at least the portion of the sealed can is in the aseptic environment.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein aseptically filling the can and aseptically sealing the ingredients within the can are performed while the aluminum body of the sealed can is outside of the aseptic environment. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein sterilizing the sealed can comprises applying a sterilization medium to the sealed can, the sterilization medium comprising vaporized hydrogen peroxide, steam, gaseous ozone, or vaporized nitrogen. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein sterilizing the sealed can comprises sterilizing interior and exterior surfaces of the can. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein aseptically filling the can comprises aseptically filling the can to be between 40% and 80% full such that between 40% and 80% of the can is full of ingredients. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising injecting liquified gas into the can to generate an internal pressure of at least 5 psi above atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising measuring a fill volume of the can or a weight of the can while the can is being aseptically filled. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein aseptically filling the can comprises aseptically filling the can to be between 40% and 80% full based on the measured fill volume of the can or the measured weight of the can. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising axially moving the spout relative to the aluminum body. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the spout is axially moved relative to the aluminum body between an extended position in which the can has a first length and a retracted position in which the can has a second length that is less than the first length. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the spout is axially moved from the extended position to the retracted position after aseptically filling the can with the ingredients for producing the food or drink through the spout. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein when the spout is in the retracted position, the spout does not extend beyond a plane defined by a rim of the domed end of the aluminum body. 
     
     
         21 . A can for ingredients for producing a food or beverage, the can comprising:
 an aluminum body having a sidewall extending from a domed end of the aluminum body to an open end of the aluminum body, the domed end defining a first opening that extends through the domed end;   a spout disposed on the domed end for aseptically filling the can with the ingredients through the first opening on the domed end; and   a base seamed to the aluminum body and covering the open end of the aluminum body.   
     
     
         22 . The can of  claim 21 , wherein the can contains the ingredients for producing the food or drink and the ingredients are aseptically sealed within the can. 
     
     
         23 . The can of  claim 21 , wherein the spout and the first opening on the domed end define a channel for aseptically filling the can with the ingredients. 
     
     
         24 . The can of  claim 21 , wherein the spout comprises a first flange extending radially outward from a cylindrical portion of the spout. 
     
     
         25 . The can of  claim 24 , wherein the spout comprises an annular flexible portion and a second flange extending radially outward from the annular flexible portion. 
     
     
         26 . The can of  claim 25 , wherein the second flange is attached to the domed end of the aluminum body. 
     
     
         27 . The can of  claim 21 , wherein the spout is integrally formed with the domed end of the aluminum body. 
     
     
         28 . The can of  claim 21 , wherein the spout is axially movable relative to the aluminum body. 
     
     
         29 . The can of  claim 28 , wherein the spout is axially movable relative to the aluminum body between an extended position in which the can has a first length and a retracted position in which the can has a second length that is less than the first length. 
     
     
         30 . The can of  claim 29 , wherein when the spout is in the retracted position, the spout does not extend beyond a plane defined by a rim of the domed end of the aluminum body. 
     
     
         31 . The can of  claim 21 , further comprising a paddle disposed in the can and aseptically sealed within the can. 
     
     
         32 . The can of  claim 31 , wherein the paddle has a central stem and at least one helical blade extending from the central stem. 
     
     
         33 . The can of  claim 32 , wherein the paddle comprises a drive shaft connector for receiving a drive shaft for rotating the paddle to mix the ingredients, the drive shaft connector being disposed on a portion of the paddle that is closer to the domed end of the aluminum body than the open end of the aluminum body. 
     
     
         34 . The can of  claim 21 , wherein the base comprises a removable protrusion configured such that removal of the removable protrusion defines a second opening for dispensing the food or drink. 
     
     
         35 . The can of  claim 21 , further comprising a plug or cover attached to the spout to aseptically seal the can. 
     
     
         36 . The can of  claim 35 , further comprising a cap attached to the spout to at least partially cover the spout.